1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and devices for the interconnection of wires to switches within junction boxes. More particularly, the present invention relates to the structure of the wire connection system and the manner in which it connects wires to a switch, and the connection of switches to other switches, within the confines of a junction box.
2. Prior Art Description
Most building codes require that all connections between wires, switches, receptacles and/or any other hardwired component be contained within some form of fire retardant junction box. Traditionally, such junction boxes are made of metal or polyvinylchloride (PVC). Such junction boxes contain various punch-out structures that enable a variable number of wires to be led into the junction box. During rough construction, the junction boxes are mounted within various walls of the building.
The wires are then run between the junction boxes. Depending upon the circuit design being installed by an electrician, it is common for various wires to be directly interconnected within a junction box. Such wire-to-wire connections are traditionally made using wire nuts. To make such a connection, wires are twisted together in front of a junction box. The twisted wires are capped with a wire nut. The wire nut and the wires are then bent back into the confines of the junction box. However, as the wires are manipulated back into the junction box, sometimes the wires separate under the wire nut and the connection fails. An electrician must then inspect all the connections in the circuit to discover where the break has occurred.
To complicate matters, wire connections often cannot be readily observed within the confines of a junction box. Wires connected to a receptacle or switches are blocked from view behind the receptacle or switch.
Likewise, wires connected together with a wire nut behind a switch or receptacle are also blocked from view. As such, a separated connection is often impossible to determine by visually inspecting the junction boxes. Rather, the only way to fix the problem is to open and remove the contents of all of the junction boxes in the failed circuit until the faulty connection is identified.
Today, if you have one switch or several switches, positioned side by side, each fixture, a light or a fan for example, has to be directly attached or “hard wired” to a switch. Prior to recent changes, the neutral (white) wire was sometimes used as a black power line and painted black to indicate same. Small lengths of ground wire, with a ground screw attached, known as a pig tail, has to be used. Wire nuts have to be used for neutral, ground, and hot wire connections. These wires are then pushed to the back of the box. With the cover plate OFF, and the power ON, it remains a shock hazard. Once installed, wires have to be disconnected and reconnected to change which switch controls what fixtures. Wires also have to be separated in order to disconnect a line. Separate wires also have to be installed, to connect each switch to other switches, for power and electrical continuity. During the initial or rough installation, all electrical lines need to be marked to indicate what fixture they control, and the position of each switch in the junction box has to be noted. In addition, when ceiling lights or fans are installed, they must be temporarily supported, while electrical connections are made. At this rough installation stage, once all the junction boxes are installed, and all the wires are led into each junction box, only the ground wires are connected to each other and all grounding components. Work has to stop in order for an electrical inspector to observe; proper installation of all parts, and more importantly, to observe that the grounding connections are done properly. If receptacles and switches were installed at this time, an inspector could not see the grounding connections, or any of the other connections.
Over the years, many devices have been invented in an attempt to simplify the wiring of difficult types of electrical termination devices. However, these prior art devices are typically application specific, and can only be used as either a switch box or a receptacle box. Prior art devices that show modular connections are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,049 to Lindy Lawrence May, entitled Modular Electrical System; U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,838 to Gorman, entitled Safety Module Electrical Distribution; U.S. Pat. No. 8,649,133 to Benoit, Weeks, Savicki, entitled Plug Tail Systems. Some of these junction boxes eliminates the need for wire nuts. However, these junction boxes contain custom manufactured internal components. Thus, the junction boxes are more complex to use and more costly than traditional junction boxes.
However, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,624 to Alfredo Arenas, entitled Modular, Wiring system With Locking Elements, as with all the other referenced prior art patents, the wire terminations are at the rear of the junction box and are hidden from view. As such, the number of wires entering the box, the quality of the connections, and the paths of interconnections cannot be visually observed without disassembly and removal of the components within the junction box.
A need therefore exists for a system and method of connecting wires to switches, within a junction box, yet enables the wires and termination devices within the junction box, to be readily observed within a fully assembled application. A need also exists for the ability to connect all wires to the first dielectric body while having all switches connect to each other modularly, and without having exposed energized wires or screw heads. Another need is the ability to change which switch controls what line at any time without moving the wires. Still another need is to reduce installation time by not having to mark and keep track of wires going to fixtures. There is a need to shorten the installation process, by installing receptacles and switches in the roughing in phase. Still another need is to eliminate using supports in order to hang lights and fans. These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed below.
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